Counterfeit cigarettes seized and illegal working arrests made in Lancaster and Morecambe operation

Thursday, March 26, 2026

Hundreds of packets of counterfeit cigarettes and more than 70 pouches of hand rolling tobacco were found at two shops in Lancaster and Morecambe earlier in the month.   

Lancashire Police officers and colleagues from Lancashire County Council’s Trading Standards and the Home Office took part in a multi-agency operation on Friday 13th March.

The operation targeted trading standards and immigration offences, with several shops and business premises visited throughout the day.

A shop in Lancaster city centre was visited by Trading Standards, with a test purchase of illicit cigarettes made – a packet of counterfeit cigarettes was handed over by a member of the shop’s staff.

That led to the premises being searched, with 162 packets of cigarettes and 39 pouches of hand rolling tobacco found in a storeroom.

A closure order will now be sought for the shop, with this being the second such seizure after a similar visit five days earlier.

During a visit to a shop in Morecambe, 209 packets of illicit cigarettes and 33 pouches of hand rolling tobacco was found, together with counterfeit Viagra, 51 counterfeit Pop Mart Labubu dolls and seven counterfeit Labubu keyrings.

There were five arrests – two men and three women - made at three business premises under the Immigration Act for working illegally. 

 

 

PC Katie Foster of the Lancaster and Morecambe Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This was a successful multi-agency operation targeting counterfeit and illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes, and people working illegally at business premises.

“We work closely with our colleagues from partner agencies to investigate shops and businesses which are selling counterfeit goods and employing people illegally.

“Counterfeit cigarettes can cause harm to the public and fall into the wrong hands.” 

 Josh Johns, Chief Immigration Officer, said: “Illegal working undercuts honest businesses, undermines our immigration rules and often leads to the exploitation of vulnerable people.

“This was an excellent partnership operation which I hope sends a clear message that we are bearing down on all forms of high street crime across the region.”